City of Brunswick, Glynn County, and Glynn/Camden Drug Court Funding Project

This grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (the 'Recovery Act') and by 42 U.S.C. 3751(a). The stated purposes of the Recovery Act are: to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize state and local government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases. The Recovery Act places great emphasis on accountability and transparency in the use of taxpayer dollars.

Among other things, it creates a new Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board and a new website ' Recovery.gov ' to provide information to the public, including access to detailed information on grants and contracts made with Recovery Act funds.

The Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program funded under the Recovery Act is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. Recovery JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system, from multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. Recovery JAG funded projects may address crime through the provision of services directly to individuals and/or communities and by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems, processes, and procedures.

The disparate jurisdictions consisting of Glynn County and the city of Brunswick will use the Recovery Act JAG funds to support the Glynn County Sheriff's Department, Brunswick Police Department, and the Glynn/Camden County Drug Court. The Glynn County Police Department will purchase equipment, and the Glynn/Camden County Drug Court will use the fudns to support personnel costs. The personal protective equipment, surveillance equipment, firearms, and automation equipment purchased under the grant will improve the on-the-job efficiency of police officers in the performance of their duties. The Glynn/Camden County Drug Court will maintain its current level of service in the largest drug court in the State of Georgia and increase their effectiveness by offering an alternative to incarceration for first-time drug offenders. Currently the drug court serves over 300 clients in Glynn and Camden Counties. The Recovery Act JAG funds will help preserve jobs and keep the drug court in the business of treating troubled offenders in the Glynn/Camden County area.

NCA/NCF